Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor is one of my favorite players not only on the field, but off of it as well. He is as straight forward and honest as they come and a hoot to listen to interviews.
Many of you might already be aware of the special bond that Taylor has with Dan Rooney, and it is on full display in the latest video on steelers.com that features the veteran defensive back sitting down to interview the Steelers Chairman.
During the interview, Taylor gets Rooney to talk about his time over in Ireland where he served as the United States Ambassador as well as talking about letting the former fourth-round draft pick sleep on his office couch several years ago.
As far as his down time goes since returning from overseas, Rooney says that he and his wife like to attend other sporting events.
“I like to go to some sporting events,” said Rooney. “My wife is a much bigger sports fan than me. She loves hockey. I like to go to basketball games to see Pitt play and Duquesne – Robert Morris; they have some good basketball here.”
Speaking of hockey, the city of Pittsburgh can thank the great Art Rooney Sr. for the Pittsburgh Penguins, as he used his influence and money to get an expansion NHL team in 1967. He was a minority owner of the Penguins until 1970.
At the end of the interview, Rooney praises the character of not only Taylor, but his son as well.
“Ike has a son that\’s a very nice young man, and he\’s going to grow up; I think, to be a fine person like his father.”
Who knows, in 15 years we just might see Ike Taylor Jr. in a Steelers uniform. I do hope, however, that he has better hands than his old man does.
